Hi ladies,
This can be such a busy time of year! However, it can also be a time when we spend even some time writing, reviewing our progress for the past year, and setting brand new goals for the new year.
To do all these things, we actually need to take some time to schedule our writing time and to get some writing, planning and assessing done. You can do it with a bit of planning and forethought as well as mindfulness.
This week, I present two more tips on how to make sure that you get some writing done during the holidays.
Enjoy the lesson, and try one or two tips to be your best this holiday season.
There is so much for writers to do every day. Many things that have to be done have little to do with actual writing, such as answering and sending emails, texting, cruising the internet and pitching. These activities have to do with the business side of writing.
In order to be your best, you must separate the business side from the creative side of writing by de-cluttering your mind from all the small extraneous tasks so that you can spend more valuable time actually writing and completing your manuscripts. This is necessary for writers to be successful.
So, here are a few tips to de-clutter your day:
• Write first thing in the day when you will be uninterrupted.
• Set concrete writing goals, and set times to complete them.
• Write these goals down, print them off, and pin them up above your writing area.
• Schedule these goals into your planner.
• As you complete each writing goal, make sure that you check each of them off.
• Have a designated, pre-established time to work on the business side of writing such as sending out queries, pitches, and check email. You may want to devote Friday afternoon to the task AFTER writing all week.
• Don’t let the business side of writing bleed into your writing time. You won’t complete your writing goals and you will be frustrated and lack self-confidence.
By taking these steps, you will be writing during your scheduled time. Once you are finished your writing, you could do other things such as check websites for submission guidelines, order books for research and correspond with editors and agents. This is another important way to be at your best.
There is so much noise in our lives. And the same holds for writers. Not too many of us can resist not taking our cell phones into our office space when we write.
Instead, we always want to be plugged-in. We always want to know what is happening around us. We don’t want to miss out on anything. But is this really necessary?
I believe that having too much noise in our lives is a recipe for distraction and a lack of productivity. Also, scientists who study gender differences believe that women are more sensitive to sounds then men. Of course, this is helpful for mothers but not helpful for writers who allow noise to infiltrate their writing space.
Our cell phones and our souls need different things. We need to cultivate silence in our lives rather than noise. This is required for a productive writing life.
Here are a few benefits of banning the buzz:
• You’ll be more productive;
• You’ll be more focused on your writing;
• You’ll be in the moment;
• You’ll know what you have to do and you’ll do it;
• You’ll feel less distracted.
• You’ll be focused for other activities too.
So, the next time you are ready to write, sit down and relax before writing. Center by taking a few deep breaths and leave your cell phone and cordless home phone outside of your office or put it in silent mode. Make sure that it doesn’t pulse, beep, or light up. Just make sure that it is idle and out of sight. You deserve this time to yourself in order to be creative and write.
So, to be at your best, make sure that you ban the buzz, and go into a silent retreat room to write. By banning the buzz, you will also feel less distracted.
This can be such a busy time of year! However, it can also be a time when we spend even some time writing, reviewing our progress for the past year, and setting brand new goals for the new year.
To do all these things, we actually need to take some time to schedule our writing time and to get some writing, planning and assessing done. You can do it with a bit of planning and forethought as well as mindfulness.
This week, I present two more tips on how to make sure that you get some writing done during the holidays.
Enjoy the lesson, and try one or two tips to be your best this holiday season.
De-clutter
There is so much for writers to do every day. Many things that have to be done have little to do with actual writing, such as answering and sending emails, texting, cruising the internet and pitching. These activities have to do with the business side of writing.
In order to be your best, you must separate the business side from the creative side of writing by de-cluttering your mind from all the small extraneous tasks so that you can spend more valuable time actually writing and completing your manuscripts. This is necessary for writers to be successful.
So, here are a few tips to de-clutter your day:
• Write first thing in the day when you will be uninterrupted.
• Set concrete writing goals, and set times to complete them.
• Write these goals down, print them off, and pin them up above your writing area.
• Schedule these goals into your planner.
• As you complete each writing goal, make sure that you check each of them off.
• Have a designated, pre-established time to work on the business side of writing such as sending out queries, pitches, and check email. You may want to devote Friday afternoon to the task AFTER writing all week.
• Don’t let the business side of writing bleed into your writing time. You won’t complete your writing goals and you will be frustrated and lack self-confidence.
By taking these steps, you will be writing during your scheduled time. Once you are finished your writing, you could do other things such as check websites for submission guidelines, order books for research and correspond with editors and agents. This is another important way to be at your best.
Ban the Buzz
There is so much noise in our lives. And the same holds for writers. Not too many of us can resist not taking our cell phones into our office space when we write.
Instead, we always want to be plugged-in. We always want to know what is happening around us. We don’t want to miss out on anything. But is this really necessary?
I believe that having too much noise in our lives is a recipe for distraction and a lack of productivity. Also, scientists who study gender differences believe that women are more sensitive to sounds then men. Of course, this is helpful for mothers but not helpful for writers who allow noise to infiltrate their writing space.
Our cell phones and our souls need different things. We need to cultivate silence in our lives rather than noise. This is required for a productive writing life.
Here are a few benefits of banning the buzz:
• You’ll be more productive;
• You’ll be more focused on your writing;
• You’ll be in the moment;
• You’ll know what you have to do and you’ll do it;
• You’ll feel less distracted.
• You’ll be focused for other activities too.
So, the next time you are ready to write, sit down and relax before writing. Center by taking a few deep breaths and leave your cell phone and cordless home phone outside of your office or put it in silent mode. Make sure that it doesn’t pulse, beep, or light up. Just make sure that it is idle and out of sight. You deserve this time to yourself in order to be creative and write.
So, to be at your best, make sure that you ban the buzz, and go into a silent retreat room to write. By banning the buzz, you will also feel less distracted.
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